Killer Mike’s “Uterus” Comment At Sanders Rally Sparks Firestorm

Were Killer Mike's words taken out of context and used against him?

Rapper Killer Mike sparked a major controversy after quoting Jane Elliott, an anti-racism activist and feminist who said, “A uterus doesn’t qualify you to be president of the United States. You have to have policy that’s reflective of social justice.”

Mike made the polarizing comments during a Bernie Sanders rally at Morehouse College in Georgia and shortly after, the sound bite began to circulate on social media and the firestorm began. Many believe the rapper’s comments were taken out of context, while others are calling him sexist.

On Thursday’s edition of NewsOne Now,Roland Martin and his panel of guests discussed Killer Mike’s comments.

Panelist Dr. Jason Johnson believes Mike’s statement was taken out of context, because “he is a man, because he’s a Black man, it’s because he’s talking about Hillary Clinton — this is the kind of argument and invective that’s going to end up going back and forth throughout this entire campaign.”

Dr. Johnson reminded viewers the clip that essentially went viral did not contain Mike’s entire statement, in which he also explains having a “policy that’s reflective of social justice” as being part of the qualifying factors of someone running for the highest office in the land.

Johnson added, “Let’s be fair; the Clinton campaign has repeatedly said that voting her into office because she would be the first woman president is one of many reasons that people should vote for her.”

Laura Coates, a former federal prosecutor, did not agree with Dr. Johnson, saying that when Killer Mike quoted Elliott, “He was intending for it to be done as a sound bite and he did not explain [the intent] until after it.” She added, “It’s just like somebody like Sarah Palin or anybody else who tries to speak on behalf of a candidate and their sound bites are used against them.”

“Just because a different context is used, does not mean the point is lost. This is a silly instance of somebody using rhetoric that is very polemic and polarizing and controversial to try to defeat a candidate’s overall policy,” Coates said.